Shabbat Shuvah - The Sabbath of Repentance

Saturday 27^th September 2025   Shabbat Shuvah      5^th Tishrei 5786

The Shabbat that falls between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur,

is called Shabbat Shuvah - The Sabbath of Return and Repentance

YOM KIPPUR AT BEIT ARIEL

Yom Kippurh, the holiest day of the Jewish year, is observed with strict fasting and ceremonial repentance. It begins October 1, 2025 (the 10th of Tishrei, according to the Hebrew calendar) at sundown and ends at nightfall on October 2, 2025.

We will observe erev Yom Kippur at BEIT ARIEL, on Wednesday, 1^st October 2025 at 18h15. It is also known as the Kol Nidre service. The morning service will commence at 10h00. At the conclusion of the morning service, it is customary at Beit Ariel to spend some time in repentance and prayer, following the pattern of the sacrifices offered up in the Temple on The Day of Atonement:

1) for  himself and his household         we divine into small groups and

                                                            confess our sins one to another                                                             (James 5). This is followed

                                                            by prayer for our households

2) he offered up sacrifices for             We are the priesthood of believers

    the Levitical priesthood                  and so, we pray for the Body of  

                                                           Believers (as us and not them)

3) Aaron offered up sacrifices for        We intercede for God’s people

    B’nei Yisrael                                     and for HaShem’s Land.

The Surprising Connection between Purim and Yom Kippur

Purim and Yom Kippur appear to be complete opposites but the ancient rabbis say they are really two sides of the same coin.

YOM KIPPUR                                                                                                       

a sombre occasion of fasting and contemplating one’s misdeeds in the previous year and seeking to right those wrongs. 

Yom Kippur is a solemn occasion, set aside for fasting  with many restrictions (no eating, washing, shaving etc. It is tradtional to wear a white garment and to avoid wearing leather)                    

PURIM

Purim is a day of ecstatic joy, celebrating the Jewish people’s escape from a genocidal maniac, Hamman (the story of Esther).

Purim is a rather raucous celebrating the miraculous preservation of the Jewish people

Purim is a day for feasting with no restrictions at all

In the Messianic era, Yom Kippur will be transformed into

“a day like Purim”, a day of celebrating HaShem’s miraculous

preservation of His elect people

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